


Invitation

by justabrain



Series: Inktober Prompts [6]
Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Voyager
Genre: Birthday Party, Fluff, Found Family, Gen, Surprise Party
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-07
Updated: 2018-01-07
Packaged: 2019-05-03 09:32:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 738
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14566131
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/justabrain/pseuds/justabrain
Summary: Naomi noticed that Seven has never celebrated her birthday and decides to do something about it.





	Invitation

Seven turned over the note, puzzled. “You are corjally invited to a kadis-cot turnament,” the scrawling crayon read. “1900 hours in the mess hall.”

“What does it say?” the EMH asked.

“It’s an invitation to a kadis-kot tournament this evening. Unsigned. Who asked you to give it to me?”

The doctor turned away, busying himself with straightening the hyposprays. “Doctor’s confidentiality.”

So, passing through the halls, she confronted Harry. “Ensign Kim. I require your assistance.”

“Sure, Seven. What do you need?”

“I received an unsigned note.” She handed it to him. “Do you know who this is?”

“A tournament, huh?” He shrugged. “Let me know when you find out!”

Finally, the next time she saw Neelix, she asked him about it. 

“Kadis-kot?”

“Yes, this evening, here.”

Neelix shrugged. “I don’t know a thing about it.”

“But it is happening here in the mess hall.”

“I guess you’ll just have to show up and see,” he replied cryptically, turning back to a frying pan.

Seven sighed.

 

——

 

At 1900 precisely, the doors to the mess hall slid open, and Seven stepped into the dark room. A moment passed, and Seven considered leaving, when the lights suddenly flicked on.

“Surprise!” A chorus of voices erupted from the room, as people popped up from all over the mess hall. Small flecks of paper floated down from the ceiling. 

Seven took half a step back, startled by the sudden light and commotion. 

Neelix stepped forwards holding a large cake lit with candles, and he and the people behind him all burst into song.

“Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday, dear Seven! Happy birthday to you!”

As the notes died out, Seven looked blankly at the cake. Suddenly, Naomi stepped out from behind Neelix. “You’re supposed to blow out the candles!” she whispered loudly.

Hesitantly, Seven blew across the top of the cake, and each of the flames flickered, then disappeared in a wisp of smoke. This act was met with a chorus of cheers. As Neelix whisked away the cake, the crowd dissipated a bit, as most people turned to conversations. 

“Naomi Wildman.” The girl turned back to Seven from where she was about to follow Neelix. “Did you arrange this?”

Naomi’s face tinted pink, but she beamed at Seven. “You’ve never had a birthday party before, right?”

Seven paused. “Not that I recall.”

“Well of course you didn’t with the Borg. But why haven’t you had a birthday party on Voyager?”

“I suppose,” Seven started, thinking, “I never had any reason to celebrate. Or anyone to celebrate with.”

At this, Naomi lit up as she remembered something. “I have a birthday present for you!” she exclaimed. As she scampered off towards her mother, Seven surveyed the crowd. It wasn’t as big as it had seemed earlier. There were a few people from Engineering, and most of the main bridge crew was there. The Doctor was trying out some new jokes and small talk on an ensign from Stellar Cartography. Tom and Harry were talking to two women in the sciences — though Tom was doing most of the talking. 

Seeing that Seven was alone, Captain Janeway approached. “Happy birthday, Seven,” she said with a smile. 

“Thank you, Captain.”

“Would you believe Naomi managed to organize all of this on her own? When she proposed the idea, I didn’t think she could do it, but when she puts her mind to something…” She shook her head with a smile. 

“I hope she wasn’t neglecting her duties as Captain’s Assistant,” Seven said, almost smiling.

Just then, the Captain’s Assistant herself ran up with a piece of paper in her hand, which she handed carefully to Seven.

“Happy birthday, Seven,” she said, ducking her head slightly. 

Turning it over, Seven saw it was a portrait Naomi had drawn — but not just of Seven. It was the whole senior staff: the captain, Chakotay, Tuvok, Tom, Harry, B’elanna, the Doctor, Seven, and of course Naomi, all posed together and all smiling, with the exception of Tuvok, who had a straight line for a mouth.

“Do you like it?” Naomi asked.

Seven thought for a moment, then the suppressed smile finally crept onto her face. “I do.”

“Since birthdays are supposed to be with your family,” Naomi suggested, “maybe Voyager could be like your family!”

Seven looked at Captain Janeway, who smiled, and then she turned back to Naomi. “I would like that very much.”


End file.
